The Day the Earth Stood Still
by Miss Mila
Summary: Wheeler-centric fic dealing with Ross' death. Logan/Wheeler, and father/daughter Ross/Wheeler. There's also Mommy!Wheeler and Caring!Logan. Please read and review. Post "Loyalty 1". Spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Law and Order: Criminal Intent characters, places, themes, etc. No copyright infringement intended.

**Author's Note: **I just saw _Loyalty _Part 1. It'll be a while before I see Part 2. This is Wheeler-centric. And there's Logan! So yes. It's Logan/Wheeler. And there are spoilers…if you've been living under a rock. Anyway, Mommy!Wheeler, and Caring!Logan. What more could you want? Oh, and this is set on the basis that Wheeler and Ross had a father/daughter relationship.

* * *

"Margo, please stop crying. Come on baby, just stop crying." Wheeler bounced her daughter on her hip, trying to get her to calm down and eat her food.

With an exasperated sigh she pushed her hair out of her face and gently sat Margo down in her highchair.

"Come on baby, look! It's mashed potatoes -- your favorite."

Margo sniffled and took a bite, deciding to be cooperative.

"See? Who's a good girl? Isn't that better?"

They where both surprised when an urgent doorbell ringing interrupted the rare moment of peace.

"Okay Margo, just…um, just sit tight -- not like you have a choice -- mama will be back in a second."

Wheeler jogged to the door of the New York apartment and smoothed back her hair and flung the towel in her hands across her shoulder. "What?" She asked irritably, flinging the door open.

And then a smile broke out on her face. "_Logan?_ Is- is that you?"

"Wheeler…how ya been?"

"Why Logan. You never call…you never write," she said teasingly. "I haven't seen you since Margo's birthday."

He returned her smile, but his eyes were tense, and so, so sad.

"Logan?" She was scared now. Something was wrong. "Mike, what is it?" She asked in a firm whisper.

"Megan. Can, can I come in?"

Margo started crying back in the kitchen. "Logan…just, yeah. Come on in. Sit down. I'll be just a minute."

Logan ran his hand through his hair and walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch, moving blankets and toys and empty Chinese take-out cartons out of his way. He smiled at the mess and shook his head. Wheeler.

She came out of the kitchen with Margo on her hip, and walked her over to the playpen in the living room. Logan waved at the girl, who smiled and waved back, laughing at the funny face he made.

*****

She was a great mom, he thought, watching with a smile. She quieted Margo down and handed her a bottle and blanket, kissing the top of her head softly. She turned to him and smiled a worn out smile.

"Sorry. She's been like that all day. What can I do for you, Logan?"

His smile faded. "Wheeler…maybe you should sit down."

She sank to the couch without hesitation. "Mike. What's wrong?"

He came and sat next to her, taking her hands in his.

"Logan." It was a plea.

"I need you to listen to me, Megan," he spoke slowly and clearly. "Megan. Eames called me yesterday. She's been trying to reach you. Megan, Ross is dead."

*****

She would've sworn the world stopped. Just for a second. Because nothing moved. There was no breathing; there was no blinking. Nothing.

And then there was pain.

A horrible splitting pain that ripped through her, clawed at her until she fell apart.

She didn't want to hear who or what or how (And she knew it was true. She knew Logan wouldn't lie to her. Not about this.). Sobs wracked her body, and her head fell against his shoulder.

He held her, because it was all he could do, the only comfort he could offer. His arms held her together as her mind processed his words. _Dead. _Ross was _dead. _Ross. Her partner. Her captain. Her mentor. Her friend. Practically her father.

Logan didn't say anything to quiet her tears, or convince her it was going to be okay. Because maybe it wasn't.

*****

Wheeler was shaking. Shaking and crying. Margo sensed something was wrong. And then she started crying along with her mother, and that briefly broke the spell grief held over Wheeler.

She went over to the playpen and took Margo and hugged her to her chest, tears flowing down her cheeks into Margo's hair.

"It's okay baby," she whispered into her ear. And her voice broke. She closed her eyes and hugged Margo closer, willing her breathing to match that of her daughter's.

Logan watched this scene unfold before him, and he knew that a weight, a horrible, horrible weight was settling on Wheeler's shoulders. Just as it had on his.

"Megan." He said her name just to say it. Just to feel that it was real, that _she _was real.

She turned to him, registering the fact that he was still there. And then she moved back towards him, holding on to him and still holding on to Margo. Clinging to them because they were all she had.

It would be a lie to say that faint tear tracks weren't visible on Logan's face.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I split this up into two chapters, simply because the second part of this wouldn't really fit with this. I'll try and post part 2 as soon as I can. Thoughts? Comments?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own any of the LOCI characters, places, themes, etc. No copyright intended. Oh, but if I did, Kathryn Erbe and VDO would definitely still be there.

**Author's Note: **Just because Rodgers would be really sad, and the only person I can think of that she'd let see her cry a lot over Ross would be Wheeler. Because they both loved him. Please don't hate me for posting this ten million days late.

* * *

Her car pulled up to the bright yellow house with the neat rows of plants and flowers and the cheery welcome mat in front of the door. She smiled, through her grief, at the irony.

Wheeler took a deep breath and unbuckled her seatbelt, getting out and taking Margo out of her car seat.

She hugged Margo to her, reveling in the comfort the child in her arms had to offer. She locked the car doors and made her way up the short walkway to the front door. Every footstep seemed to be laced with sadness and a heavy heart.

Megan Wheeler rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.

Rodgers looked horrible. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were red and puffy. Mascara streaked her cheeks and she looked lost.

The house was dark and dusty, yet Rodgers still wordlessly let her in. She poured her what looked like a mix of hard liquor - a liver killer for sure.

Wheeler accepted without hesitation.

"I miss him, Elizabeth."

"Me too, honey, me too." Her voice was hoarse. Tired.

"Logan told me," she said with a stifled sob.

"I-I saw him," Rodgers started, and then her voice and her composition broke, and sobbed heartbreaking sobs. "I try to sleep and he-he's there. Bloody and, and _dead._."

Wheeler didn't notice the tears falling down her own face. She moved closer to Rodgers and hugged her, Margo in between them.

"I loved him," Wheeler whispered into the dark room.

"You and me both."

Wheeler didn't know how long she sat there, just sitting and crying with Rodgers, Margo in between. And Margo, bless her soul, didn't make a single sound. She just sat there, looking at her mom with big, round eyes, not understanding where her grandpa Ross was when her mom was this sad.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Not that it matters, but I'm happy with how this story came out. It really surprised me that no one considered how Wheeler would feel during this. Even though I'm late beyond belief, any comments or reviews are appreciated. And, for the record, I think Margo would be an adorable baby.


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